Electrical fitting entrance cap



June 27, 1967 1 N. GOLDSOBEL ELECTRICAL FITTING ENTRANCE CAP 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 23, 1964 INVENTOR. NORMAN GQLDSOBEL ATTORNEY June 27, 1967 N. GOLDSOBEL 3,328,513

ELECTRICAL FITTING ENTRANCE CAP 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Filed Dec. 25, 1964 1 E. T :1 549J971Di+ INVENTOR. NORMAN GOLDSOBEL ATTORNEY N. GOLDSOBEL ELECTRICAL FITTING ENTRANCE CAP June 27, 1967 Filed Dec. 23, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig-2 INVENTOR. NORMAN GOLDSOBEL BY r" ATTORNEY June 27, 1967 N. GOLDSOBEL ELECTRICAL FITTING ENTRANCE CAP 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 23, 1964 Tlqil.

INVENTOR NORMAN GOLDS BEL 8% ATT ORNEY June 27, 1967 N, GOLDSOBEL 3,328,513

ELECTRICAL FITTING ENTRANCE CAP X 2% f flfl 60 2g 4 fida I INVENTOR "up 7 "'u 1 w NORMAN GOLDSOBEL A n11 Tia-.25. BY g [/38 /f/ I ATTORNEY United States Patent C 3,328,513 ELECTRICAL FITTING ENTRANCE CAP Norman Goldsobel, Commack, N.Y., assignor to Electrical Fittings Corporation, East Farmingdale, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 420,582 8 Claims. (Cl. 174-81) This invention relates to an electrical fitting for coupling outdoor transmission cables to an electrical conduit and, in particular, to an entrance cap fitting.

Essentially, this invention is an improvement over the electrical fitting illustrated and claimed in U.S. Patent No. 2,865,981.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved electrical fitting entrance cap for coupling outdoor transmission cables to electrical conduit.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an entrance cap incorporating features, wherein moistureis prevented against accumulating in the entrance cap or flowing into the conduit connected to such entrance cap.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved electrical fitting entrance cap containing a pivotal cover, whereby the cover may be readily assembled to the entrance cap housing body or detached therefrom, but wherein said cover is rotatably captivated to said body fornormal pivotal use; inaddition, said cover employs snap-lock features for holding same in closed status. 7 It is a further object of the invention to provide an electrical fitting entrance cap designed for rigid conduit and electrical malleable tubing of the same trade size by means of a novel spacer ring.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an electrical fitting entrance cap having an insulator entrance window for receiving and nesting outdoorttansmission cables, wherein said cables may be bent instantly into respective slots therefor without axially threading same through fully enclosed cable openings in the in- 'sulator window.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the invention taken in conjunction with the figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an entrance cap employing the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the components of said entrance cap in exploded relationship;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the components of the insulator window in exploded relationship;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the entrance cap showing its cover in closed position;

FIG. 5 is the opposite side elevation of said entrance FIG. 6 is a top plan view looking down into the entrance cap with the cover thereof in opened status;

,FIG. 7 is a vertical section of said entrance cap along the plane of 7-7 of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary section along line 8-8 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary section along line 9-9 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 10 is a section along line 10-10 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of FIG. 10;

FIGS. 12 and 13 are sections taken along respective lines 12-12 and 13-13 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary view for the purpose of illustrating the technique of assembling and disassembling the entrance cap cover with respect to the entrance cap body;

FIG. 15 is essentially a right side view of FIG. 14 and is a section along line 15-15 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary top plan view of FIG. 15 il- 3,328,513 Patented June 27, 1967 lustrating the mating parts making up the means for rotatably captivating the entrance cap cover to its body;

FIG. 17 is a section along line 17-17 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 7 to illustrate the use of a spacer in the entrance cap;

FIG. 19 is a section along line 19-19 of FIG. 18;

, FIG. 20 is a fragmentary side elevation in the direction of line 20-20 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of an entrance cap spacer;

FIG. 22 is a front elevation of a second embodiment of an entrance cap employing the principles of the invention;

FIG. 23 is a side elevation of the left side of FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a front elevation illustrating the component parts of the entrance cap in exploded relationship;

FIG. 25 is a plan view of the entrance cap body looking down line 25-25 of FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a side elevation in section along line 26-26 of FIG. 22;

FIG. 27 is an enlarged front elevation partly in section with cover removed showing the window insert seated in the entrance cap body;

FIGS. 28 and 29 are fragmentary sections taken along respective lines 28-28 and 29-29 of FIG. 27;

FIG. 30 is a fragmentary and partly sectional view showing the relationship of the entrance cap cover with respect to its body for assembly and disassembly of said parts;

FIG. 31 is a side elevation along the arrow 31 of FIG. 30;

FIG. 32 is a perspective view illustrating the pivot means for connecting said parts;

FIG. 33 is a fragmentary and sectional view showing its parts assembled and is taken along line 33-33 of FIG. 34 with cover opened;

FIG. 34 is a front elevation of theparts shown in FIG. 33; and

FIG. 35 is a view of the pivot means showing the cover in upright opened status.

FIGS. 1 through 21 illustrate an embodiment of an entrance cap incorporating the principles of the invention. Entrance cap 50 is made up of a cover 51 pivotally connected to an entrance cap housing body 52 and an insertable insulator window 53 in the front side of body 52. Entrance cap 50 is usually mounted to an upright conduit 54. Conduit 54 is generally secured along an exterior building wall. Body 52 has a depending tubular sleeve 55 provided with a cylindrical inner diameter bore 56 for receiving and making attachment to an end of conduit 54. The upper end of conduit 54 bottoms against an annular wall 57 in body 52. A set screw 58 secures entrance cap 50 to conduit 54. In lieu of set screw means 58 for attachment, the upper end of the conduit and sleeve inner diameter bore 56 may be threaded to permit a threaded attachment of entrance cap 50 and conduit 54.

As understood in the art, the electrical power feeder line consists of two or more cables 59. These cables are received by-entrance cap 50 by extending through window 53 and into an interior cavity 60 formed by the assembled entrance cap 50. The cavity 60 allows the electrician to make a substantially 90 bend to the cables 59, as shown in FIG. 7. Cables 59 continue down through a central opening 61 formed by an annular throat 62 to extend into the attached conduit 54. In this manner, the feeder cables 59 are brought into the building to make connection with the building circuit. I

As seen in FIG. 7, wall 57 partitions cavity 60 from the sleeve portion of body 52 with throat 62 extending upright from wall 57 and into the cavity region above the cavity floor 63. Throat 62 is rounded at its ends 64, 65 with smooth radii to prevent damage to the insulation of the cables passing through opening 61. Wall 57 radially overhangs the rigid conduit Wall bottoming against same. In other words, the diameter of opening 61 is selected to be less than the inner diameter of the rigid conduit wall, as seen in FIG. 7. This prevents the electric cables making contact with the sharp edge 66 of the upper end of the conduit wall 54. Such contact could cause damage to the cables. For the threaded connection between conduit 54 and body 52, a tapered thread is used to render the connection substantially water tight. In this instance, the upper end 66 of the conduit does not necessarily bottom against wall 57, although it will terminate close to such wall 57. However, the relative sizes of these parts are such that the diameter of opening 61 is less than the inner diameter of conduit 54 to prevent the condiut wall extending across opening 61.

The portion of body 52 above sleeve 55 is essentially a continuous upright curved wall 67 having an open front side. Body wall 67 has a flat top edge 68. Insulator window 53 is designed to nest in body 52 to close the front side thereof. As seen in FIG. 7, when assembled, body top edge 68 and the top edge of window 53 are substantially coplanar.

The open top formed by body 52 and Window 53 nested thereto is enclosed by an oversized cover 51 contoured to drain off snow, rain or melting ice and to prevent the drainage therefrom entering into the entrance cap interior and dripping down into conduit 54. The front portion of cover 51 is provided with an overhanging lip 69 which acts as an eave, whereas the remaining edge of cover 51 is bent over to overhang below wall edge 68 to provide added protection against moisture dripping into the interior of the entrance cap.

Cover 51 is pivotally attached to body 52 by means of an ear 70 extending integrally from cover 51. Ear 70 consists of a pair of fiat wall members 71, 72, each essentially at right angle relationship with respect to the other. Member 71 is in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of cover 51, whereas member 72 is in a vertical plane as seen in FIG. 4. Ear members 71, 72 have interconnecting bayonet slots 73, 74. Slot 74 is a lengthwise and narrow width bayonet slot in member 72 communicating with a C-shaped bayonet slot 73 of larger width in member 71. Slots 73, 74 operationally engage a key 75 extending axially from an ear 76, which ear 76 is an integral extension of body wall 67. Key 75 comprises a small diameter shank 77, an enlarged head 78 at the front of shank 77 and a small section forming a forward extension 79 of enlarged head 78. The top of head 78 and its forward extension 79 are relatively flat at 125, FIG. 2. The bottom of extension 79 is flat and forms a fulcrum at 80 where it joins with head 78, see FIGS. 4 and 14. The purpose of fulcrum 80 will be explained hereinafter.

Bayonet slots 73, 74 and key 75 are complementary shaped to permit attachment and removal of cover 51 with respect to body 52, but when these parts are engaged cover 51 is rotationally captivated to body 52 and cannot become accidentally detached therefrom during normal operational use, whether cover 51 is in opened or closed position or while swinging same from one to the other of such positions.

FIGS. 1 and 4 show cover 51 in closed position. Cover 51 is rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 1, to an open position as shown in FIG. 6. Abutment of ear surface 81 with body 52, see FIG. 6, acts as a limit stop. When cover 51 is attached to body 52, bayonet slot 74 is-rotatably captivated on shank 77 between ear 76 and enlarged head 78. Enlarged head 78 is dimensionally wider than slot 74.

FIGS. 14 through 16 illustrate the manner of attaching and disassembling cover 51 with respect to body 52. Cover 51 is held upside-down with its ear member 72 in front of key 75 and with bayonet slot 74 substantially upright. Cover 51 is then tilted at about a 45 angle, as depicted in solid outline in FIG. 14, to permit the C- shaped bayonet slot 73 to mount over forward extension 79 and enlarged head 78. At this stage of attachment, the edge 82 of slot 73 bears against fulcrum formed by extension 79 and enlarged head 78. Cover 51 is then pivoted about fulcrum 80 in the direction of arrow 83 (FIG. 14) to align ear member 72 parallel with body ear 76. Cover 51 is then permitted to drop straight down in the direction of arrow 84 in FIG. 14. From this moment on, keyway slot 74 is captivated 0n shank 77 between ear 76 and enlarged head 78. The corresponding broken on phantom outline of cover 51 in FIGS. 14 and 15 correspond to the status of said cover 51 with its slot 74 mounted on shank 77. The upper phantom illustration in FIG. 15 illustrates an enlarged view of the position of cover 51 in such status. This phantom illustration also depicts the status of cover 51 just prior to mounting same on key 75, that is to say, just prior to tilting cover 51 in a 45 angle so as to permit enlarged C-shaped slot 73 to mount over extension 79 and head 78. Cover 51 may now be rotated about the axis of shank 77, see arrow 85- in FIG. 15, to closed position and this is depicted in solid outline in FIG. 15.

FIG. 16 is a view looking down at the top of ear member 71 showing the relationship of the engaged parts when cover 51 has been turned to closed position. Inasmuch as the enlarged head 78 is greater than the width of slot 74, once attached, cover 51 whether in its open or closed position and while being rotated from one to the other of such positions remains captivated to body 52. The respective dimension of these coacting parts provide a clearance 86 (see FIG. 14) with respect to body car 76 to permit tilting and pivoting of cover 51 as it is being mounted on key 75, as shown in FIG. 15. It will also be noted that when cover 51 is in opened status (see FIG. 6), the forward end 126 of extension 79 axially overlaps slot edge 82 to captivate cover 51 in a vertical plane on key 75, should cover 51 for any reason be raised in the direction of arrow 87 shown in FIG. 14.

To remove cover 51, the above-described attachment process is essentially reversed. Cover 51 is opened and then raised in the direction of arrow 87, FIG. 14, for slot edge 82 to engage fulcrum 80. Then cover 51 is rotated clockwise in the direction of arrow 88, 'FIG. 14, about 45 until the wide dimension of bayonet slot 73 clears enlarged head 78 and its extension 79 to permit removal of cover 51.

Cover 51 is snap-latched to body 52 by a detent finger 89 punched from a tab 90 depending integrally from cover 51. Body wall 67 includes an outstanding boss 91, whereby upon closing cover 51, the upper edge of finger 89 spring-snaps under boss 91. A guide stud 92 at the rear of boss 91 extends outwardly from body wall 67. The rear edge 93 of tab 90 is designed to bear against stud 92. This bearing engagement maintains cover 51 properly aligned with respect to body 52 for latching and unlatching cover 51. Cover 51 is easily unlatched to open same by prying a screwdriver blade or like object under tab 90 .to lift same up, whereby finger 89 clears boss 91.

Cavity 60 has a relatively fiat floor 63. The upper portion ofthe collar-like throat 62 projects above the plane of floor 63 to prevent any moisture collecting in cavity 60 against draining into conduit 54. A slightly raised upper ledge 94 extends along the front of body 52. Sections of ledge 94 are cut-away to provide drain ducts 95 level with fioor 93. Any water moisture collecting in the interior of the entrance cap will drain off through such ducts 95, thus preventing water being trapped in the entrance cap interior. Since ducts 95 are cut-out sections of ledge 94, two small side sections of ledge 94 remain at 94a, 9412. Body 52 includes a threaded hole 96 for receiving set screw 58.

Window 53 is essentially a rectangular shaped member of suitable structural thickness and has similarly shaped wedge-like cars 97 on each side. Each car 97 is designed to nest slideably into a complementary shaped channel 98 on the opposite sides of body 52 for captivating window 53 to body 52. The bottom of window has a ledge'99 designed to bottom against body ledge sections 94, 94a, 94b. Window 53 has a depending skirt 100 designed to overhang below body ledge 94 to close the opened side of body 52. Skirt 100 is spaced from body 52 to provide a sufficient clearance 101, as seen in FIG. 8, to permit water draining out from the entrance cap via ducts 95 after window '53 is assembled to body 52. Body ledge 94 includes an outwardly extending lip 102. Window skirt 100 includes a recess 103 forming a lip 104 which is designed to snap over body lip 102, whereby Window 53 is snap-locked to body 52 upon assembly of these parts and as shown in FIG. 7. The arrow 105 in FIG. 9 illustrates the direction of motion for inserting window 53 into body 52. Arrow 106 shows the direction of motion for snap-locking window 53 to body 52.

Window 53 is removable by applying finger pressure against the back of the window in the direction of arrow 107 (FIG. 7) to disengage the snap-locked lips 102, 104. This substantially pivots window 53 in a direction reversed to arrow 106 In order to reach into the back of window 53 to remove same, cover 51 must be open. Upon disengagement of lips 102, 104, window 53 is raised from its channels 98 opposite to the direction of arrow 105. The dimensions of ears 97 and the mating channels 98 provide suitable play to all-ow manual insertion of window 53 into body 52- and the removal therefrom. As seen from FIG. 9, an upper edge portion 108 of wedge cars 97 may cam against a channel surface as Window 53 is being snap-locked in place and disengaged therefrom. The complementary shaped contours of ears 97 and channels 98 permit mating of window 53 to body 52 only in one direction, so as to prevent incorrect upside-down or reversed insertion of window 53 into body 52.

Window 53 includes an insertable center member 109 having side grooves 110. Each groove 110 slides over guide projections 111 provided by the -U-shaped main section 114 of window 53 for assembling center member 109 in its position. Center member 109 also includes a suitable boss 112 in one of its grooves 110 which snaplocks below one of the guide projections 11, see FIG. 10, upon inserting center member 109 in its fully registered position. The rear of insulator window 53, including its center member 109, is suitably braced by ribs for structural strength. Grooves 110 are closed at the upper ends by lateral ribs 113, thereby permitting in sertion of center member. 109 into window main section 114 in one direction only. It will be understood that the material constituting the window sections 109 and 114 and the mating dimensions thereof provide sufiicient play and resilience to allow manual insertion of center member 109 into its window position and removal therefrom. When center member 109 is fully inserted, its bottom edge bottoms against the top edge 115 of window skirt 100.

Window main section 114 includes two normally open ended wire holding slots 116 for tightly nesting individual cables 59. Window main section 114 also includes two normally closed thin sectioned knockouts 117. Removal of knockouts 117 provide another pair of open ended cables holding slots. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower pair of slots serve to nest smaller diameter wire than the upper pair of slots. Center member 109 includes a normally closed knockout 118, thus making available a fifth open ended cable slot. The open ended slots permit insertion of a cable in any slot by laterally pushing the cable sidewise into its slots via its open end 'in contrast to axially threading a cable through a closed hole as it is customary in the prior art devices.

In use, cover 51 is rotated open. Center member 109 is removed completely from its position to permit use of slots 116. The open space created by removal of center member 109 allows one to side-slip cables in the open ended slots 116. Thereafter, center member 109 is snapped back into place, thus locking the cables in place. If additional cables are involved, any one of the other three knockouts may be removed. If the center member slot is used, member 109 is lifted. The cable is bent over Window edge 11S and then center member 109 is snapped thereover. Thus, in each instance, it is seen that each cable is nested in an individual slot without axially thread-ing same through a closed hole. After closing down center member 109, cover 51 is snapped closed. The closed cover maintains the assembly securely in locked relationship. The entrance width of the slots in U-shaped section 114- are preferably narrower than the diameter of the slots. This may require squeezing the cable laterally through the narrow entrance to nest such cable in the slot. The narrow entrance serves to hold the cables in their slots unless deliberately pulled out by the electrician. At all times during use of the entrance cap, including the time the electrician is feeding cables therethrough, cover 51 remains rotatably captivated to body 52.

If for any reason a cable 59 already nested in a slot of the U-shaped main section 114 requires removal, center member 109 is lifted from its closed position and the cable 59 is then manually pulled out sidewise from its slot through the open end thereof. Removal of a cable 59 from any of the slots of main section 114 normally applies a collapsing force on this U-shaped insulator member. The collapsing force is in a direction to draw together the two upright legs of the U-shaped main section 114. This is counteracted by the structurally sturdy enlarged size of the wedge-shaped window ears 97 and the fact that channels 98 engaging same have bent over lengthwise edges 140 captivating ears 97 in the respective channels 98. The arrangement is such to relieve insulator Window section 114' of any collapsing stress and strain, and also serves to counteract any stress and strain upon insertion of a cable 59 into any slot in main section 114. I Each entrance cap is preferably designed for a single trade size conduit. As an example, a one inch trade size conduit contemplates a rigid wall conduit having a one inch outside diameter. However, electrical malleable tubing conduit, referred hereinafter as emt, of corresponding trade size has a slightly smaller outside diameter. The inside diameter of sleeve bore 56 .is normally designed to center properly the rigid wall conduit therein with respect to opening 61, so that cable wires 59 passing from cavity 60 through throat 62 and into conduit 54 cannot make contact with the upper edge 66 of the conduit. In other words, when conduit 54 is properly centered in sleeve bore 56, the conduit wall does not extend across opening 61, but is radially overlapped by wall 57 against which the conduit bottoms. Use of emt conduit in the same sleeve bore 56 will result in a slight off-centering of the conduit with respect to opening 61 upon tightening of set screw 58 against such conduit. This will cause the wall of the smaller outside diameter conduit to extend across opening 61, and thus introduces the possibility of cable contact with the upper edge 66 of the conduit wall.

To maintain proper centering of emt conduit in sleeve bore 56 so as to eliminate the foregoing problem, the invention provides a ring-like spacer 119 of suitable material. Spacer 119 has diametrically opposite depending tabs 120, 212. The larger sized tab 120 includes a semicircular exterior protrusion forming a key 122. The outside diameter of spacer 119 is selected to nest slidably in sleeve bore 56, whereby spacer 119 bottoms against annular wall 57, as shown in FIG. 18. Sleeve has a round keyway slot 123 diametrically opposite set screw 58. Spacer key 122 engages keyway 123 to prevent rotation of spacer 119 when securing the conduit by set screw 58. Spacer 119 may be assembled at the factory with set screw 58 threaded axially in to pass adjacently, but under the bottom of small tab 121. This prevents spacer 119 from dropping straight out of sleeve 55. As seen from FIG. 18, the length of tab 121 permits set screw 58 to clear under such tab when screw 58 is threaded into sleeve bore 56. Spacer 119 may be removed without withdrawal of set screw 58 by mutually gripping the back wall of spacer 119 at its key 122 and simultaneously tilting spacer 119 and pulling same out to permit small tab 121 to withdraw from under set screw 58. When spacer 119 is used for emt conduit, the conduit is inserted within spacer 119 so that the upper end of the conduit wall bottoms against wall 57. The spacer inner diameter is selected to fit properly over the outside diameter of the emt conduit. Upon tightening set screw 58, conduit 54 is clamped against the inside face 124 of the large tab 120. As seen from FIG. 18, use of spacer 119 maintains emt conduit 54 suitably centered so that the conduit wall does not extend across throat opening 61.

FIGS. 22 through illustrate a second embodiment of an entrance cap incorporating the principles of the invention. Entrance cap 151) is made up of an oversized cover 151 pivotally connected to an entrance cap housing body 152. An insertable insulator window 153 is captivated to the front side of the body 152 to close same. Body 152 includes a depending sleeve 154 having a set screw 155 for securing the conduit 156 in sleeve 154 in the same manner as described hereinbefore. The instant embodiment illustrates a threaded connection for attaching conduit 156 to body sleeve 154. Hence, the upper end of the conduit 156 is threaded and so is the sleeve bore 191. As noted before, tapered threads are employed to make this connection water tight. Consequently, the upper edge of conduit 156 does not of necessity bottom against the internal annular wall 157. A throat 158 extends up from wall 157 into the entrance cap cavity 159. The upper end of threat rises above the floor surface 160 of the housing cavity 159 to prevent drainage of moisture into conduit 156. Throat ends 161, 162 are rounded. The dimensions of the mating parts comprising the inner diameter of the conduit bore 163, annular wall 157 and the diameter of throat opening 164 are such to center properly the secured conduit 156 without any part of the upper end of the conduit wall extending across throat opening 164. It will be understood that the inner diameter of conduit bore 163 is greater than the diameter of throat opening 164.

The oversized cover 151 has an overhanging lip 165 and side edges 166 bent over to enclose completely the open top of cavity 159 formed by housing body 152 and window 153 assembled thereto. Cover 151 is pivotally captivated to body 152 by interconnected bayonet slots 167, 168 rotatably engaging an axial stud-like key 169. Slot 167 is in the wall of a depending extension of the cover side wall. Slot 167 at its inner end 167a is substantially C-shaped, and then narrows to become a closed ended and small width section 16712 at the far end of slot 167. An car is an integral extension of the cover side wall and is bent outwardly to lie in a vertical plane extending 90 from the side of cover 151, as seen in FIGS. 24 and 30. Slot 168 is closed at one end and extends lengthwise in the wall of ear 170 to communicate with the C-shaped slot section 167a along the line where car 170 joins with the cover side wall. The width of slot 168 is slightly less than the width of the interconnected C-shaped slot section 167a. Key 169 extends axially from an ear 171, which ear is an integral extension of the side wall of body 152. Key 169 comprises a small diameter shank 172, an enlarged head 173 at the front of shank 172, and a small triangular-shaped section 174 forming a forward extension of head 173. As seen in FIGS. 30 to 32, the apex of the triangle points away from the side wall of body 152, whereas the wider base of the triangle confronts the side wall of body 152.

Bayonet slots 167 ,168 are complementary shaped to permit attachment and removal of cover 151 with respect to body 152. However, after these parts are engaged, cover 151 is rotationally captivated to body 152 and cannot become accidentally detached therefrom during normal 8 operational use, whether cover 151 is in open or closed position or while swinging same from one to the other of such positions.

FIGS. 22 and 23 show cover 151 in closed position. Cover 151 is rotated clockwise as viewed in FIG. 22 to an open position. FIGS. 33 and 34 show cover 151 in open position. Abutment of ear surface 175 with body 152, see FIGS. 33 and 34, acts as a limit stop. Since the size of keyhead 173 is dimensionally wider than slot 168 and overlaps the closed end of slot 168, as seen in FIG. 34, cover 151 when properly mounted on key 169 is captivated in the vertical and horizontal planes of FIG. 34 by reason of the dimensional relationship of the coacting parts. When cover 151 is attached to body 152, slot 168 is rotatably captivated on shank 172 between ear 171 and enlarged head 173.

FIGS. 30 through 32 illustrate the manner of attaching and disassembling cover 151 with respect to body 152. For attachment, cover 151 is held at an angle over body 152, as depicted in FIG. 30. In this position, cover ear 170 is in a vertical plane in front and parallel to the vertical plane of body ear 171. The lengthwise axis of slot 168 is substantially aligned with the apex of forward extension 174. Essentially, the triangular-shaped forward extension 174 serves as a locating arrow with which the axis of slot 168 is aligned for mounting of cover 151 to body 152. Cover 151 is then 'moved laterally toward body 152 so that slot section 16712 passes over key extension 174, while C-shaped section 167a passes over enlarged head 173. This maneuver by the relative relationship of the parts, see FIG. 31, causes slot 168 to mount over shank 172, whereby cover ear 170 becomes rotatably captivated thereon. From FIG. 31, it is seen that the profile of slot 167, made up of sections 167a, 167b, complements the profile of key sections 173 and 174 Cover 151 now may be rotated to open or closed positions, as desired. In order to disassemble the parts, the reversed procedure is followed. Cover 151 is pivotally maneuvered to align slot sections 167b and 167a with the complementary contoured extension 174 and head 173, see FIG. 31, whereupon cover 151 is drawn away from body 152. As cover 151 is drawn away from body 152, slot sections 167a and 167k pass over and clear respective key sections 173 and 174. During this withdrawal maneuver, cover 151 is substantially tilted with respect to body 152, as shown in FIG. 30.

FIG. 35 depicts cover in an upright status between its open and closed positions. It is seen from this figure that the width dimensions of key extension 174 and head 173, relative to the width dimensions of slots 167 and 168, maintain cover 151 captivated on shank 172 for this position as well as the other positions contemplated herein.

Cover 151 is snap-latched to body 152 by a detent 176 extending inwardly from a cover side wall tab 177, which tab 177 snaps under a protruding boss 178 in the side wall of body 152. Body 152 has a relatively flat floor surface 160 and includes a slightly raised upper ledge 179. Ledge 179 includes moisture draining ducts 180 level with floor surface 160 to allow moisture to drain from the interior of the enclose-d entrance cap, thereby preventing any moisture being trapped therein. It will also be noted that throat 158 projects upright above the level of floor sulgface 160 to prevent seepage of moisture into conduit 15 Window 153 is made up of two substantially similar insulator sections 181, 182, which sections mate to form an assembled substantially rectangular window for enclosing the open side of body 152. A continuous channel groove 183 extends along the outer edge of each window half section 181, 182. The half sections 181, 182 provide open ended U-shaped and laterally spaced apart wire cable slots 184. One slot in each section 181, 182 is normally closed by a removable knockout 184a. The other insulator slot of each section is normally open. The mating surfaces of half sections 181, 182 are complementary stepped,

whereby a long leg 185 along one side of each section 181, 182 mates with a recessed step 186 of the other half section. This arrangement interlocks window sections 181, 182 when assembled in body 152. Upon such assembly, the individual slots 184 of each section 181, 182 are laterally off-set with respect to the individual slots of the other section. The web edges 187 in the mating face of each section 181, 182 close the adjacent open ended slots 184 of the other section upon mating of window sections 181, 182. The foregoing stepped arrangement permits asse'rnbly of window 153 as illustrated herein, whereas reversed assembly of one window section with respect to the other is prevented by the stepped configuration of the mating surface edges thereof. The mating faces of sections 181, 182 contain theopen ends of the cable slots.

The opposite side walls at the front of body 152 are turned inwardly toward each other to form substantially lengthwise upright ledges 188. Insulator halves 181, 182 are inserted into position by slideably nesting the grooves 183 along the sides thereof over respective ledges 188. This captivates window 153 in its nested position in body 152, The portion of groove 183 along the bottom edge of the lower insulator half 182 fits over the sections of body ledge 179. However, it will be noted from FIGS. 27 and 28 that the skirt 189 formed along the lower portion of the bottom insulator section 182 provides sufficient clearance in the region of drainage ducts 180 to permit drainage of moisture through such ducts from the interior of the entrance cap during use of the assembled entrance I n use, cover 151 is opened. The upper insulator section 181 is lifted to permit the electrician to bend the cable wire 59 to nest same into a selected slot 184 in lower member section 182. When an upper section slot 184 is used, cable wire 59 is bent over to rest on one of the web edges 187 of lower section 182 so that upon dropping the upper section 181 into position, its slot 184 captivates such cable wire 59. Again, it will be noted that cable wire 59 is not axially threaded through an enclosed hole of insulator window 153. Upon closing of cover 151, the entire assembly is secured in closed latched status. It is seen from FIGS. 26 and 28, that the inner surface of cover 151 overlies adjacent the top of window 153 to prevent removal or disassembly of window sections 181, 182 when cover 151 is in closed latch status. However, cable wire 59 may be removed merely by opening cover 151 and lifting up upper half section 181.

The entrance cap window parts 109, 114 and 181, 182 may be made of any suitable plastic material of any other suitable insulator material to serve the purposes contemplated herein. The covers 51, 151 of the disclosed embodiments may be made of suitably stamped metal, such as aluminum, steel or brass. The entrance cap bodies 52, 152 of the disclosed embodiments may be made of suitable die-cast metal, such as aluminum or zinc. Spacer 119 may be made of any suitable die-cast metal, such as zinc.

It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. An entrance cap for receiving electrical cable from the exterior thereof and for channeling said cable to a conduit comprising, a housing body having an open face, window means for nesting in said body open face for enclosing same, means pivotally connected to said body for opening and closing the top of said body, said body including means for connecting said entrance cap to the conduit and for channeling the cable from said entrance cap to said conduit, and said window means having a plurality of open-ended slots for nesting \and passing cable from the exterior into said entrance cap, the cable being threaded through a Window slot by entry of the cable into a slot by way of its open end, wherein said pivotal means being an entrance cap cover, said housing body and cover having mutually engageable means for rotatably captivating said cover to said body for normal opening and closing of said cover with respect to said body, said rotatably captivating means including a plurality of spacially related slots and a multisection key, said key having tandem sections complementary in shape with respective sections of said slots, whereby said cover is attachable to and detachable from said body when said cover undergoes a given positional status relative to said body, but otherwise said cover is securely' rotatably captivated to said body for normal open and close use of said cover.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cover having a pair of surfaces in right-angle relationship, each surface having a respective one of said related slots, said related slots being in communicating relationship, and key including a back wall extending integrally from said body, the multiple sections of said key extending axially from said back wall and including a shank section connected to a relatively enlarged section, said shank section being adjacent said back wall, said cover slots being complernentary shaped with respect to said sections, whereby one of said slots remains rotatably captivated on said shank section between said back wall and said enlarged section during normal use of said cover.

3. In an entrance cap for receiving electrical cable from the exterior thereof and for channeling said cable to a conduit, the combination comprising, a housing body including window means having passages for passing cable from the exterior into said entrance cap, said body forming an interior between said window and conduit for channeling cable therebetween, said body including means for connecting said entrance cap to said conduit, said lastmentioned means including means for partitioning said body interior from said conduit and also including an interior bore for receiving the end of said conduit, said partitioning means having an opening for allowing passage of cable from said housing body cavity to said conduit, and a ring-shaped spacer nesting in said bore for centering the end of said conduit therein, said conduit being insertable into said spacer for connection with said entrance cap, the relative dimensions of said spacer and said opening and said conduit being predetermined to prevent the wall of said conduit adjacent said opening against extending across said opening, and mutually engaging means between said body and spacer for latching said spacer against rotation in said body bore upon connection of said conduit to said body, said spacer having an inner surface adjacent the conduit insertable in said spacer, and means for clamping said conduit to said body.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said clamping means including a set screw, said spacer having a tab adjacent said set screw, said set screw clearing under said tab upon operation of said screw in a direction to tighten said conduit.

5. Pivot means for an electrical fitting or the like comprising, a fitting body, a cover pivotally connected to said body for opening and closing said electrical fitting, said cover and body having first and second mutually engageable means for rotatably captivating said cover and said body, said first means including a plurality of spacially related communicating slots, said second means including a back wall having a multisectioned key extending axially from said wall, said key having tandem sections complementary in shape with respective sections of said related slots, whereby said cover is attachable to and detachable from said body upon said cover assuming a given positional status relative to said body, but otherwise said cover is securely rotatably captivated to said body for operatively opening and closing said cover, said key including a shank section intermediate said back Wall and a relatively enlarged section at the forward end of said shank section, said key also including an extension forward of said enlarged section for forming a fulcrum, and means along one of said slots for engaging said fulcrum when said cover is in the aforementioned positional relationship for pivoting said cover to eifect captivating attachment of said cover with respect to said body and disengagement therefrom.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said back wall being an integral extension of said body, said cover having a pair of surfaces in right angle relationship and each of said surfaces having respective ones of said slots, one of said slots being in rotatable captivated relationship on said shank between said key back wall and said enlarged section during normal use of said cover.

7. Pivot means for an electrical fitting or the like comprising, a fitting body, a cover pivotally connected to said body for opening and closing said electrical fitting, said cover and said body having first and second mutually engageable means for rotatably captivating said cover to said body, said first means including a plurality of spacially related communicating slots, said second means including a back wall having a multi-sectioned key extending axially from said wall, said key having tandem sections complementary in shape with respective sections of said related slots, whereby said cover is attachable to and detachable from said body upon said cover assuming a given positional status relative tosaid body, but otherwise said cover is rotatably captivated to said body for operatively opening and closing said cover, said key including a shank section intermediate said back wall and a relatively enlarged section at the forward end of said shank section, said key also including a protrusion at the forward end of said enlarged section for guiding and aligning said cover relative to said body for attachment and detachment of said cover with respect to said body, said slots having profile edges complementary in shape with the profile shape of said enlarged section and the forward protrusion thereof to pass said slots over said key for attachment of said cover to said body and for detachment therefrom.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said back wall being an integral extension of said body, said cover having a pair of surfaces in right angle relationship and each of said surfaces having respective ones of said slots, one of said slots being in rotatable captivated relationship on said shank between said key back wall'and said enlarged section during normal use of said cover.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 230,290 7/1880 Lilly 174--155 1,577,413 3/1926 Volk 17481 1,888,645 11/1932 Vibber 17481 X 2,865,981 12/1958 Budnick 174-81 3,115,543 12/1963 Morrison 174-187 X LEWIS H. MYERS, Primary Examiner.

H. HUBERFELD, J. F. RUGGIERO,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. AN ENTRANCE CAP FOR RECEIVING ELECTRICAL CABLE FROM THE EXTERIOR THEREOF AND FOR CHANNELING SAID CABLE TO A CONDUIT COMPRISING, A HOUSING BODY HAVING AN OPEN FACE, WINDOW MEANS FOR NESTING IN SAID BODY OPEN FACE FOR ENCLOSING SAME, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID BODY FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE TOP OF SAID BODY, SAID BODY INCLUDING MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID ENTRANCE CAP TO THE CONDUIT AND FOR CHANNELING THE CABLE FROM SAID ENTRANCE CAP TO SAID CONDUIT, AND SAID WINDOW MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPEN-ENDED SLOTS FOR NESTING AND PASSING CABLE FROM THE EXTERIOR INTO SAID ENTRANCE CAP, THE CABLE BEING THREADED THROUGH A WINDOW SLOT BY ENTRY OF THE CABLE INTO A SLOT BY WAY OF ITS OPEN END, WHEREIN SAID PIVOTAL MEANS BEING AN ENTRANCE CAP COVER, SAID HOUSING BODY AND COVER HAVING MUTUALLY ENGAGEABLE MEANS FOR ROTATABLY CAPTIVATING SAID COVER TO SAID BODY FOR NORMAL OPENING AND CLOSING OF SAID COVER WITH RESPECT TO SAID BODY, SAID ROTATABLY 